What a wild week it’s been in the NFL. And we haven’t even gotten to the football yet.
The field has been set, and now comes the fun part: Playoff football. Here’s what you need to know about all three AFC matchups in what’s sure to be an eventful Wild-Card weekend.
No. 5 Cleveland Browns @ No. 4 Houston Texans | Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET
The Houston Texans weren’t supposed to be here — not yet. Not with a rookie quarterback, a first-year head coach, a group of largely unproven position players, and a defence with promise but plenty of question marks.
Meanwhile, the time is now for the Cleveland Browns to contend — even if the injury gods have had other ideas.
It’s not exactly a revenge game, considering the QB that links these two sides, Deshaun Watson, hasn’t touched the field since Week 10. A rematch? Hardly. The Texans were without C.J. Stroud and other offensive weapons when they lost to the Browns in Week 16. And we can’t call it a rivalry, either — Houston and Cleveland have never met in the post-season, and the last time Browns QB Joe Flacco took on the Texans in a playoff game, Ryans was still playing for Houston, not coaching them.
One key question for the Browns: Can Amari Cooper put up another 265?
Cooper has been Flacco’s favourite target since the veteran took over in Week 12. Of Flacco’s 1,616 passing yards, 485 came on catches from Cooper in just a four-game span.
Cooper racked up a career-high 265 yards against Houston in the Browns’ 36-22 win on Christmas Eve, catching 11 of 15 targets for a pair of touchdowns. He hasn’t played since, sitting out Week 17 with an injury and resting alongside many of Cleveland’s other starters for the season finale. Back in the lineup and healthy now ahead of this rematch, his production — and how Houston tries to shut it down — will be one of this game’s biggest storylines.
One key question for the Texans: How will C.J. Stroud handle the pressure?
The Browns boast a lethal pass rush led by Myles Garrett — a unit that earned the highest grade this season from the folks at Pro Football Focus. The rest of Cleveland’s defence is almost just as dangerous. As productive as Stroud has been, he’s been operating in mostly clean pockets and slicing up opponents when not pressured. When he is pressured, however, his numbers look a little more pedestrian, with about a 50 per cent completion rate and three touchdowns.
No. 6 Miami Dolphins @ No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs | Saturday 8 p.m. ET
Fast. Fun. Innovative. Inspired. These are the words so often used to describe the Chiefs ever since Patrick Mahomes took the helm in Kansas City. You can use these words to describe the Miami Dolphins, too, a team that boasts a wealth of weapons with a surplus of speed, headlined by Tyreek Hill — the man whose championship run with the Chiefs and move to Miami will link these clubs as long as he’s in the game.
Only, both offences have slowed down of late. Miami’s been struggling with injuries, while Kansas City’s slowdown has been more personnel-related than anything on the injury report, with Mahomes’ group of receivers letting him down too often this season and the defence winning them games, instead.
One key question for the Dolphins: Can head coach Mike McDaniel get back to his run-game routes roots?
Hill’s return to his old stompin’ grounds in Kansas City takes centre stage on the storylines front — the dynamic wide receiver, who’s hit career-high yardage in back-to-back seasons since landing in South Florida, is always going to be a focal point whenever he’s on the field. And the (likely) return of fellow top target Jaylen Waddle bodes well for the passing attack. But the biggest strength of this offence is its run game, and it looks like they’re about to get a major boost on that front, too, with the injury report looking hopeful for Raheem Mostert’s return to the lineup.
Miami led the league this season in several rushing categories, headlined by the dynamic Devon Achane and powerful Mostert, with almost unapparelled success when it comes to racking up yards after contact. And while the weather report doesn’t exactly favour the Dolphins — they’ve lost 10 consecutive games when playing in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and Saturday’s forecast is calling for historically low temperatures — Mostert doesn’t seem bothered:
One key question for the Chiefs: Which wide receiver steps up in the spotlight?
It’s a question we’ve been asking all season long about the Chiefs, and we might get an answer Saturday night as the reigning Super Bowl champs begin their title defence. Rookie Rashee Rice has been as close to a WR1 as Mahomes has had this year — not including ever-reliable Travis Kelce, of course; but he’s a tight end — but the youngster is unproven in the playoffs.
The Chiefs lead the league in dropped passes this season, some of which have come in game-deciding situations. As a result, Mahomes has put up some of the worst numbers of his career, unable to rely on his receiving group to finish big plays. That’s translated to a more heavily-used run game, and Kansas City has found success on the ground. But when the playoff stage demands a big play, who will be there to catch it?
No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers @ No. 2 Buffalo Bills | Monday 4:30 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Bills finished the season atop the AFC East, but they sure took the long road to get there. Sitting at 6-6 entering their Week 13 bye, Buffalo looked depleted. But you can never count out Josh Allen — five straight wins, one undefeated December, and a Week 18 upset later, the Bills are bursting with momentum as they enter wild card weekend as the most heavily-favoured team of the field.
Even with all their injuries — unfortunately, we can add Week 18 game-saver Taylor Rapp and playoff performer Gabe Davis to the long list of players sidelined this Monday in Buffalo — the Bills are 10-point favourites. That’s because Pittsburgh’s dealing with some devastating injuries of their own. Third-stringer Mason Rudolph is getting the start, but the biggest loss is on defence, with edge rusher T.J. Watt too injured to play.
One key question for the Steelers: With Watt on the sidelines, who steps up on Steelers’ defence?
Watt led the Steelers in sacks this year, and it wasn’t particularly close — he tallied a league-high 19, with teammate Alex Highsmith’s count coming in at seven. Highsmith will have to step up in a big way if Pittsburgh’s defence is going to stop Buffalo. Is he up to the challenge? The linebacker has upped his game every season:
However, the Steelers are 1-10 when playing without Watt since he entered the league. But while the numbers could suggest a blowout for Buffalo, the Bills never really make it that easy…
One key question for the Bills: Which Josh Allen shows up?
This question might not be entirely fair, considering what the QB has done this season. But Allen’s dangerous decision-making can get the best of him at times, especially when he’s put in a position where he’s trying to make splashy plays when a shorter, safer option will suffice.
Take Week 18 against Miami for example — with the division on the line, Allen threw two red zone interceptions, putting Buffalo’s hopes for the No. 2 seed in a precarious position, before surging back in the second half. He’s been at the helm of the wildest rollercoaster ride in the league this year, and while that’s incredibly entertaining, a clean win at home would set the stage for a strong post-season run to come.